Grassley Gets a Challenger

A Democrat is preparing to challenge Sen. Grassley in the 2010 election. Bob Krause of Fairfield is set to form an exploratoy committee about a possible run against Grassley. Krause is currently chair of the Iowa Democratic Veterans' Caucus and used to be an ISU professor and employee at the Iowa DOT.

From Radio Iowa...

Krause was elected to the Iowa legislature when he was 22 years old and served six years representing his hometown area before running unsuccessfully for state treasurer in 1978. Krause has worked behind the scenes on campaigns dating back to 1970 and he worked in the Carter Administration as a regional official for the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Krause admits he's "bounced around" the country, trying his hand at a small business, before signing on as an Iowa State University professor. "Ultimately, I wound up with the Iowa D.O.T. and I was there for a number of years until I retired in 2008," Krause says.

He's written a few books and worked as a consultant in this country and overseas for a wide array of clients, including defense contractors. "I tried to go out and do the things that other people in the world do," Krause says. "I went out, tried to make a living, tried to be creative with my life, tried to give service in different areas."

Krause, who retired after 28 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, is a member of the Iowa Democratic Party's State Central Committee and he's chairman of the Iowa Democratic Veterans' Caucus. Krause has scheduled an event at the Fort Des Moines Historical Museum on Saturday at 12:15 to announce he's formed an "exploratory committee" for a U.S. Senate campaign.

I don't know Mr. Krause, but will be in Des Moines on Saturday and will try to stop by his announcement.